The Zurich University of Teacher Education (PH Zurich) is Switzerland’s largest university of teacher education with more than 3,500 students, approximately 12,000 continuing professional development participants a year, and more than 800 employees. It is located in the centre of the city of Zurich, an outstanding area for science and education with more than 60,000 students at various institutions of higher education. The PH Zurich trains teachers to work at all educational levels from kindergarten to vocational college. Through its undergraduate and professional development courses, research contributions and services, the PH Zurich is an active co-creator of the schools and educational processes of today and of the future. It advances the teaching profession, cooperates with universities and other organizations in Switzerland and abroad, and is an innovator of teaching and learning processes.
Sustainable development is playing an increasingly important role in society and politics as well as in teacher training. In its university regulations of 22 November 2017, the PH Zurich stated that it is assuming its social responsibility and is committed to ecological and economic sustainability. Sustainable development is also anchored as an important concern in the 2018-2021 university strategy. In the first strategic goal “Shaping the future of schools and education”, the PH Zurich states that it wants to set impulses and standards in various areas. The central issues include a fair distribution of educational opportunities, productive handling of heterogeneity, the effects of digitization and sustainable development.
